faith, and a required system of ecclesiastical order, will, it is confidently believed, ere long, see cause to wish devoutly that the objections of Bishop Hobart and others to promiscuous religious societies had been better understood, and more fairly represented, that they might have had an earlier influ ence. Bishop Hobart does not regard the objection as lying in distributing the Bible without note or comment, though that measure is carried to an absurd extreme by these societies, but in the means used for that end; or rather, we should say, for that professed end. Notes and comments innumerable are distributed by Bible Societies. Their reports, the sermons and speeches at their meetings,and their extensive correspondences, being but very partially occupied with business matters, are, in fact, but so many religious tracts under other names; while their unnumbered agents are but so many missionaries, preaching, in the employ of Bible Societies, and with all the increased influence which such respectable authority can give them, those doctrines which they deem the best notes and comments on the Scriptures. This objection Bishop Hobart has strongly urged. Dr. Miller's Lecture, if misunderstood by Catholicus, is certainly in language very open to misinterpretation. Catholicus says, "the doctrines contained in this Lecture are materially the same as those which have been maintained and acted upon, for years, by Bishop Hobart and other judicious Episcopalians in the United States." We should suppose that this assertion could not be controverted by any one who had read the Lecture of Dr. Miller, and the writings expressive of Bishop Hobart's opinions; from both of which there are large extracts in the article of Catholicus. For ourselves, we should have gone farther than Catholicus, and have contended that not only were Dr. Miller's "doctrines materially the same," but that he appear ed to recommend a very similar course of proceeding thus he writes, "our Episcopal brethren exercise a most LAUDABLE diligence in placing the volume which contains their articles, : forms, and offices, in every family within their reach," &c. It surely must be known, that those societies which distribute both the Bible and Prayer Book, have done vastly more in this "laudable" work, than those which distribute the Prayer Book only. It must be known, that the Bible and Prayer Book Societies in Bishop Hobart's diocese, have done far the greatest part of this "laudable" work. Had not, therefore, the readers of Dr. Miller's Lecture reason to think that he inclined to this very plan of Bishop Hobart, adapting it of course to the case of Presbyterians? We can conscientiously declare, that such was actually our impression on perusing this extract from Dr. Miller's Lecture. Dr. Miller disavows (in the above letter) any such inference; yet we cannot but think that his arguments and language will, by most readers, be accounted an entire justification of Bishop Hobart. Of one head of the remarks of Catholicus Dr. Miller has taken no notice,-that relating to the opinion of the Presbyterian General Assembly. This body, representing the entire Presbyterian denomination, declare that "the Confessions of Faith, and Standards of [their] Church," regarded by them "as a summary of those divine truths which are diffused through the sacred volume," " cannot be abandoned, in [their] opinion, without an abandonment of the word of God." While we admire the candour of this open avowal, we cannot but remark, that it is stronger language than has ever been used by Episcopalians in favour of their Prayer Book. Indeed, had Bishop Hobart, or the House of Bishops, uttered such a sentiment, the whole country would have resounded with the cry of-bigotry.-But to the bearing of this sentiment on the remarks of Catholicus. Had not he, has not every one, a right to construe the above expressions as vitally inimical to the cause of circulating the Bible without note or comment? You give the Bible alone (says the argument of the Presbyterian General Assembly, to Bible Societies),-you give the Bible alone; wherever we can overtake that Book with our " Confessions and Stand There are three hymns on FUNERAL OCCASIONS. Hymn XLV.-Logan.—Job xiv. 1, 2, 5, 6. 1 Few are thy days, and full of woe, O man, of woman born! ards," the word of God is secure; the convention-who will, no doubt, wherever that Book remains alone, give a judicious and satisfactory deciwithout our "Confessions and Stand- sion. ards," the word of God becomes “abandoned.” This seems the logic of their assertion. And let any one change the words "Confessions and Standards" into "Prayer Book," and put the language into the mouth of an Episcopalian; and he will find as bold an argument for distributing the Prayer Book with the Bible, as could possibly be used on our side.-Surely Catholicus might have said much more than he has in his modest and unassuming article. For the Christian Journal. REVIEW of the proposed Additions to the HYMNS. IN our second number we ventured to take the ground, that in preparing hymns for public worship, there should be no particular tenacity for the text of the authors-but that the church should improve upon that text whenever it required improvement. The rights of authors are but literary; and in appropriating their works to religious use, these rights are merged in higher considerations. This, we hope, will be borne in mind. Many pieces called hymns were not written for worship; they are but sacred poetry. Many others, designed for the sanctuary, are too imperfect for so noble a use. And some, adopted by other denominations, are not such as an episcopalian should admit into fellowship with his admirable liturgy. Very few are the hymns, known to the present writer, that are fit to be adopted, in their current readings, by our church. Criticism and correction, therefore, should be freely offered. We have endeavoured to do our part. And, as we pretend not that our suggestions are infallible, we would respectfully call on our brother journalists* to contribute to the same good work. These several reviews will be so many debates before the committee and *This was written before the December number of the Gospel Messenger, containing a critique on the hymns, had come to hand. Thy doom is written, "Dust thou art, 2 Behold the emblem of thy state 3 Determin'd are the days that fly 4 Great God! afflict not, in thy wrath, The short allotted span That bounds the few and weary days Of pilgrimage to man. In verse 1st, line 1st, we would read"How few thy days &c." The 3d verse favours the high calvinistic notion of a given decreed length of life to each individual mortal; a notion utterly at variance with the case of Hezekiah; nor do we find such a doctrine in the passage in Job which is here paraphrased; it only declares generally that there is a limit, a short limit, to mortal existence; we propose, therefore, another reading of the verse— Determin'd is thy short career, Thus amended, the paraphrase is good, and will make a valuable hymn. We proceed to the next, on the same subject. Hymn XLVI.-Člark. 1 Swift as an arrow cuts its way Through the soft yielding air; Or shuttle through the loom, 2 Like airy bubbles, lo! we rise, And move upon life's stream; And carry death within; 3 The man, the wisest of our kind, Yet lo, what consequences close As the 1st stanza now reads, the expression "cuts its way," furnishes the verb for all the succeeding nominatives; the "sun's ray," the "lightning's glare," the "eagle," and the "shuttle," all "cut their way," according to the grammar of the sentence; to remedy this very inelegant mistake, for "cuts" (line 1st) read "in." What, in stanza 1st, line 3d, is meant by "the sun's more subtle ray ?" an "arrow" (the object before named) neither has a ray," nor is "subtle:" and why is the word "subtle" [subtile] used among epithets denoting velocity? we would read "quick darting ray." The 2d stanza, as it now reads, implies, lines 3d and 4th, that the human "frame" is "caused" and "destroyed" by "air:" the author would have expressed his meaning better by the following amendments; for the first two lines, read Behold the airy bubble rise, And hasten down the stream for the 5th line, read So we through life glide on apaceand for the 7th line, read Then vanish, leaving scarce a traceThe 3d stanza, were it all true, is too quaint; no time assigned for the period between "birth and death !" But the assertion of the stanza is not true; Solomon assigns a time for many things besides these two, Eccles. iii. 1-8. This stanza, therefore, must be rejected. The next piece Hymn XLVII.-Mrs. Steele. Funeral of a young person. 2 While pity prompts the rising sigh, May this dread truth, "I too must die," 3 Let this vain world allure no more; 50 let us to our Refuge fly Whose arm alone can save; Surely the death of the young might afford topics more appropriate and more poetical. What is there in the above hymn that cannot be applied to death at any age, as well as to death in youth? take away the title, and change one expression in the 1st line, and who would give the piece this peculiar application? It is not so well adapted to its title as the two previous compositions. We cannot but regard it as a general hymn for funerals; and as, in this view, it is inferior to those in our Prayer Book, we see no need of adopting it, and offer no amendments. The next title is INVITATION AND WARNING. Hymn XLVIII-Invitation. Peace sorrow's gloom shall chase away, Attend thy steps and near thee stay: The word "here," in 2d stanza, 2d lation between that balm and "unburdening a weighty load;" this certainly is inelegant: we would, therefore, read the 2d and 3d lines of the 2d stanza thus- On Jesus cast thy weighty load: In him thy refuge find, thy rest, &c. In the 3d stanza, lines 5th and 6th, "glory" is personified, as "weaving th' immortal crown," and as "claiming" the saint for "her own"-and this, after naming the Redeemer in the stanza previous; this is very particularly faulty: it may be remedied by substituting "Christ prepares" for "glory weaves," in the 5th line, and "his" for "her" in the 6th. With these changes the hymn has our cordial vote. Hymn XLIX-Warning. 1 Hasten, sinner, to be wise, Stay not for to-morrow's sun; Harder is it to be won. 2 Hasten, mercy to implore: Stay not for to-morrow's sun, Lest thy season should be o'er Ere this evening's stage be run. 3 Hasten, sinner, to return; Stay not for to-morrow's sun, Stay not for to-morrow's sun, Ere the morrow is begun. Excellent in substance, well executed in the mechanism and rhythm, and free from the crudenesses of thought and language which often betray the artist who does his work by halves: though, therefore, it is somewhat deficient in elegance, and in elevation of thought, it will be a useful hymn. We proceed to the next. REPENTANCE. 1 Stay, thon insulted Spirit, stay, And long in vain thy grace receiv'd, In honour of my great High Priest; Upraise me with thy gracious hand; And bring me to the promis'd land. A good hymn, but the latter part is much inferior to the former. There are next four pieces under the head of FAITH. Hymn LI. 1 Approach, my soul, the mercy-seat, 2 Thy promise is my only plea, 3 Bow'd down beneath a load of sin, 4 Be thou my shield and hiding place! That, shelter'd near thy side, I may my fierce accuser face, And tell him, "Thou hast died." 50 wondrous love! to bleed and die, To bear the cross and shame, That guilty sinners, such as I, Might plead thy gracious name. 6 "Poor tempest-tossed soul, be still, My promis'd grace receive;" 'Tis Jesus speaks-I must, I will, I can, I do believe. Before suggesting minor corrections, we plead for the omission of the entire 6th verse does faith come from any such "speaking of Jesus" as is there meant; he did indeed speak peace to certain penitents whose faith had already saved them-and in this sense, applied to peace, the figure of Jesus speaking is allowable; but, as the verse will be understood, it implies that faith is produced by a more direct communication from the Saviour than comports with our want of inspiration: besides, we object to the climax, "I must, I will, I can, I do believe;" take the words in the more obvious sense, and they intimate a mere rush of feeling, unmixed with any operation of the understanding; take, however, the word "must," in the calvinistic sense, and the passage becomes a strong calvinistic anticlimax-I do because I can, I can because I will, I will because I must ! ex- \ punge, expunge the whole verse.-Presuming this done, we offer a few other amendments. We fear that verse 1st, line 4th, may possibly be misinterpreted: it is true, of the mercy-seat, that none can perish there,” but could not that truth be expressed more safely? none can perish who remain there; if a correction be deemed adviseable, we offer the following line, though it is, poetically, inferior None perish steadfast there. The 2d verse begins, "thy promise is my only plea;" though the previous address is to the speaker's own soul; we propose Thy promise, Lord, my only ples, In the 3d verse, 3d line, "war without" must mean literal war, for the spiritual conflict is within; we would read" by war, and care, and fears within." In the 4th verse, 3d line, we would make a transposition— My fierce accuser I may face. Hymn LII.-Watts. Faith in Christ our Sacrifice. 1 Not all the blood of beasts, On Jewish altars slain, And richer blood, than they. 3 My faith would lay its hand On that dear head of thine; The burden thou didst bear When hanging on the shameful tree, 5 Believing, we rejoice To see the curse remove; We bless the Lamb with cheerful voice, In verse 2d, line 2d, for "sins" we pro- be not much better On Jesus' head divine; or might the whole verse be altered thus to express, within the verse, that the "head," on which the "hand is laid," is that of a victim? By faith my hand is laid, While sorrow bursts within, On Christ my chosen Victim's head; closing the 4th verse; that verse seems By his atoning blood? And be my conscience cleans'd and heal'd We proceed to the next piece on the subject of faith. Hymn LIII. 1 Faith is the Christian's evidence It brings far distant prospects home; 4 By faith a steady course we steer Through ruffling storms and swelling seas; 5 By this we pass the vale of tears And go rejoicing to our rest. An excellent hymn; unimpeachable in We see no use of the parenthesis en- and 4th, two more of these sounds may |